中国的考古学家们称，他们发现了他们认为是世界上最古老的抽水马桶。

During excavations of ancient palace ruins in the central city of Xi'an in the summer, archaeologists unearthed broken parts of the old toilet as well as a bent flush pipe.

去年夏天，在挖掘 “国家中心城市” 西安市的古代宫殿遗址的过程中，考古学家们发现了古代厕所的破损部分和一根弯曲的冲水管。

In their report, researchers say it could be 2,400 years old. If true, that would make it the oldest flushing toilet ever found. But what they can't say is whether users sat on a seat or squatted over it because the top part is missing.

在他们的报告中，研究人员说这个马桶可能有2400年的历史。该发现如果是真的，它将成为迄今为止发现的最古老的抽水马桶。不过研究人员们无法确定当时使用马桶的人是坐在座便上还是蹲在座便上，因为厕所的顶部缺失。

Prior to this discovery, the invention of the first flushing toilet was widely credited to English courtier John Harrington, who supposedly installed one for Queen Elizabeth in the 16th Century – though 4,000-year-old drainage systems that might have been connected with toilets have been found in northwest India.

在这个厕所被发现之前，英国朝臣约翰·哈灵顿被公认为是第一个抽水马桶的发明者，据说他在16世纪为伊丽莎白女王安装了一个抽水马桶，尽管人们已在印度西北部发现了有4000年历史的排水系统，排水系统可能与马桶是连通的。

The recent find is part of a broader effort to understand ancient Chinese dynasties, including how people lived and how their cities were constructed. Archaeologists are now analysing soil samples collected from the toilets in the hope of finding out what people ate during that time.

这个新的发现是为了了解中国古代王朝的考古工作的一部分，目的包括了解古代人们的生活方式和城市的构建方式。考古学家们现在正在分析从该厕所遗迹里采集的土壤样本，希望能查明在那段时期生活的人们的饮食情况。

词汇表

unearthed 发现了
flush 冲水
squatted 蹲着
credited 被认为是…的功劳
drainage 排水系统
dynasties 朝代

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. Where were the broken parts of the old toilet found?

2. Why don't the researchers know how people used the toilet?

3. Before this discovery, who was thought to have invented the first flushing toilet?

4. Why are archaeologists now examining soil samples from the toilets?

答案

1. Where were the broken parts of the old toilet found?
The parts were found in ancient palace ruins in the central city of Xi'an.

2. Why don't the researchers know how people used the toilet?
Researchers can't say whether users sat on a seat or squatted over it because the top part is missing.

3. Before this discovery, who was thought to have invented the first flushing toilet?
English courtier John Harrington, who supposedly installed one for Queen Elizabeth in the 16th Century.

4. Why are archaeologists now examining soil samples from the toilets?
Because they are trying to discover what people ate during that time.